U.S. Workers Still at Risk for Job-Related Injuries

Every day, 13 Americans lose their lives due to on-the-job injuries. Although the number of workplace deaths in the U.S. is down from 38 deaths a day in 1970, it is still far too high.

Despite this high number, however, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) simply does not have enough inspectors to ensure the safety of all workplaces throughout the country.

According to the agency, there are approximately 130 million workers in almost eight million workplaces nationwide.

OSHA has fewer than 2,500 inspectors on staff tasked with inspecting every one of those workplaces. It would take almost 100 years for its inspectors to visit every workplace in the country.

Instead, OSHA only conducts inspections at high-risk workplaces and relies on the cooperation of employers to make changes after an accident occurs.

According to an OSHA representative, the agency does not typically perform workplace inspections following an on-the-job injury; that responsibility is usually given to the employer.

Employers are asked to uncover the causes behind an accident and report back to OSHA with the measures that will be taken to prevent a re-occurrence.

OSHA typically only issues financial penalties to employers in the worst of cases. The agency is currently partnering with the Department of Justice to hold employers accountable for willfully putting employees in harms way or attempting to cover up workplace accidents.

The Dangers of Workplace Injuries

Falls, electrocution, being hit by an object, and being trapped by objects or equipment are the leading causes of workplace-related deaths in the construction industry. These four causes are known as the fatal four, as they account for more than half of all construction site worker deaths.

If you have been injured on the job, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your medical care, lost wages and other expenses. Contact the construction accident lawyers at Stephens, Anderson & Cummings today for help getting the compensation you deserve. Our injury attorneys charge no upfront fees if we take on your case.